Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F7/00—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body
  • A61F7/10—Cooling bags, e.g. ice-bags
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
  • A41D13/002—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches with controlled internal environment
  • A41D13/005—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches with controlled internal environment with controlled temperature
  • A41D13/0053—Cooled garments
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A42—HEADWEAR
  • A42B—HATS; HEAD COVERINGS
  • A42B3/00—Helmets; Helmet covers ; Other protective head coverings
  • A42B3/04—Parts, details or accessories of helmets
  • A42B3/28—Ventilating arrangements
  • A42B3/285—Ventilating arrangements with additional heating or cooling means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F7/00—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body
  • A61F2007/0001—Body part
  • A61F2007/0051—Stumps after amputation
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F7/00—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body
  • A61F2007/0054—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
  • A61F2007/0056—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water for cooling
  • A61F2007/0057—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water for cooling of gas, e.g. air or carbon dioxide
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F7/00—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body
  • A61F2007/0054—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
  • A61F2007/0056—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water for cooling
  • A61F2007/0058—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water for cooling evaporating on or near the spot to be cooled
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F7/00—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body
  • A61F7/02—Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling
  • A61F2007/0268—Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling having a plurality of compartments being filled with a heat carrier
  • A61F2007/0273—Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling having a plurality of compartments being filled with a heat carrier with openings in the walls between the compartments serving as passageways for the filler
  • A61F2007/0274—Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling having a plurality of compartments being filled with a heat carrier with openings in the walls between the compartments serving as passageways for the filler the walls being reduced to spot connections, e.g. spot welds

Definitions

• This invention relates to fabric or garments for localized cooling of a person's skin or of another object.
• amputees often find it difficult to radiate sufficient heat from their bodies even at low levels of activity in environments that would be relatively comfortable for persons with all of their limbs.
• cooling of the trunk of amputees is another application of the present invention.
• race car driver with a rear engine car is exposed to high heat quantities at his or her back.
• heat quantities at his or her back.
• race drivers usually wear protective clothing for fire and crash protection that tends to retain body heat.
• localized cooling which might concentrate on cooling the driver's back, would be most help ⁇ ful..
• Surgical patients especially those undergoing open heart surgery, often must be cooled to lower metabolism and blood flow. ' This is normally done with ice, but the ice needs replenishing, and it is more difficult to control the actual temperature.
• a cool head band or cap worn during strenuous exercise may allow the user to feel comfortable even though the rest of the body is above normal temperature.
• Localized applications of cooling are not confined to hu ⁇ mans.
• Electronics components for example, heat up. Although they may be ventilated with outside air", as more circuitry is confined to a smaller area, outside air may be insufficient or at too high a temperature to cool the components. It would be useful, therefore, to provide a small device that could be in ⁇ serted into an electronic device, merely for the purpose of cooling localized areas. There may also be ' certain chemical processes which would benefit from localized cooling.
• Localized cooling can be obtained by refrigerated air conditioning, but in many of the applications just discussed, that type of air conditioning is not practical because of weight, power consumption, restrictions on mobility and/or other reasons.
• the cooling is accomplished by means of vaporization of a refrigerant liquid.
• the resultant gas is expelled to the atmosphere.
• the gas is costly and considered by some to pollute, and some have an offensive odor; it may be objection ⁇ able to vent the gas to the atmosphere, but these factors are minor in the medical device because it vents relatively small amounts of refrigerant gas.
• a much greater volume of gas would be lost, which raises the cost of each application. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to disclose and to provide a localized cooling material in which the vaporized gas is not vented to the atmosphere.
• the liquid should remain- liquid until it is in a location where the skin temper ⁇ ature causes it to boil. Premature boiling in feed lines wastes the cooling potential of the liquid. Both of the pending applications attempt to cause the injection of the liquid to take place in the cooling chamber to conserve the cooling potential of the liquid so that it is not wasted in the lines. Also, by causing only liquid to be injected into the cooling chamber, control may be maintained. It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to disclose and provide valves or other controllers as close to the cooling location as possible. In the medical devices, very precise temperature controls to ⁇ 0.05 ⁇ F ( ⁇ 0.03°C [metric equivalents are approximate] ) , may be needed. A cooling fabric would not have to cool in such precise increments. A +1° * or 2°F differ ⁇ ence may be acceptable. Another object of this invention is to disclose and provide a relatively low-cost valve that can still be used to maintain the temperature control needed.
• an additional object of the present invention is to design a valve that uses low power but is small and compact enough so that it can fit into the cooling fabric at one or several sites without being heavy, conspicu ⁇ ous and expensive.
• Applicant's application Serial No. 673,509 discloses (in somewhat schematic form) a cooling fabric which uses injectors disclosed in that application. It is an object of the present invention to improve on that system and utilize the fabric as a cooling chamber and to improve on the injectors themselves.
• the localized cooling device of the present invention comprises a bladder of flexible material.
• Inlet means extend from, a source of refrigerant liquid into the bladder for transporting the refrigerant liquid under pressure.
• the refrigerant liquid boils at standard temperature and pressure.
• a valve at the end of the inlet means in the bladder releases the refrigerant liquid into the bladder whereby the liquid boils and cools the object against which the localized cooling device is against.
• the device also includes a system for recycling spent gas.
• a low-pressure holding chamber collects the gas without causing objectionable pressure increases within the cooling chamber.
• a sensor determines when the holding chamber is sufficiently pressurized, and the sensor then starts a com ⁇ pressor to take the gas out of the holding chamber and to pressurize it, which returns the gas to its liquid stage.
• the injector that is used comprises a relatively flat coil preferably on the upper portion of the cooling device.
• the inlet extends into a central chamber which is sealed by means of a steel or other magnetizable disk, spring-loaded to the bottom of the chamber.
• the solenoid When the solenoid is activated, the magnetic member tends to move toward the center of the coil against the spring load and exposes the outlet from the chamber. The liquid under pressure rushes past this outlet into the cooling fabric.
• This fabric has several layers.
• the uppermost layer which is above the injector, is formed of a thin, plastic membrane.
• Liquid from the injector passes through high void plastic vapor passage material, one example of which is sold under the trademark Trilock. It allows the liquid to pass generally unimpeded. The liquid then strikes highly absorbent wicking materials so that it is transported over a wide area of the cooling fabric. Beneath this cooling device is another layer of the thin plastic membrane. This layer is heated by the skin, end the refrigerant boils from this layer. Heat is thus carried away from the skin in the gaseous state and as a result the skin cools.
• a temperature sensor may also be provided above the lower membrane for sensing skin temperature or device temperature, and the temperature reading can be used in a feedback system for monitoring and controlling temperatures at various lo ⁇ cations.
• An open-weave washable moisture absorbent material lies on the bottom of the lower membrane in contact with the skin (if the device is being used on the skin) . This type of material enhances comfort and prevents one from feeling "clammy" when the device is cooling against the skin.
• Quilting fasteners are spaced throughout the fabric to prevent ballooning of the garment due to the slight pressure of spent vapor. These quilting fasteners may be threads, rivets or even a heat-seal at selected locations.
• FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partially in section of the cooling fabric of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the cooling- fabric of the present invention.
• FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a modification of the injector of the cooling fabric of the present invention.
• FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of the injector used in the cooling fabric of the present invention.
• FIG. 5 shows the cooling device of the present invention mounted within a helmet.
• FIG. 6 is a schematic showing the closed cycle system of the cooling fabric of the present invention.
• Cooling fabric 10 of the present invention comprises a bladder of flexible material (FIGS. 1-4) .
• the bladder com ⁇ prises an upper and lower thin plastic membranes 12 and 14 formed of heat sealable plastic such as nylon, PVC or Capton, although other materials that prevent liquids, especially refrigerant liquids, from passing through them and that allow heat flow are also acceptable.
• liquid refrigerant is injected onto wick 20 in cavity 16 formed between membranes 12 and 14.
• washable moisture absorbent material 18 (FIGS. 1-4) be interposed between lower membrane 14 and the skin.
• Moisture absorbent material 18 should be of a highly wettable fabric or of a paper having sufficient wet strength.
• the weave is sufficiently open so that the material does not act as an insulator. Its primary purpose is to absorb condensate from the outside of membrane 14 or to absorb perspiration from the skin. It is known that a very wide open weave is sufficient to prevent the device from feeling "clammy.”
• Wick 20 which may comprise one or more layers of highly absorbent material, is above lower membrane 14. Wick 20 is designed to distribute the liquid refrigerant to all interior surfaces of lower membrane 14 for balanced cooling along lower membrane 14. Temperature sensor 22 is interposed in the exemplary embodiment between lower membrane 14 and wick 20. The inside surface of sensor 22 may be thermally insulated so that it measures skin temperature primarily. Temperature sensor 22 is designed to read skin temperature and/or cooling fabric temperature. Microprocessor 202 (FIG. 6) reads the temperature and determines if and when additional refrigerant will have to be injected into cavity 16 for increased cooling. If the fabric is large enough in area, it is contemplated that there will be more than one injector and more than one temper- ature sensor.
• the microprocessor can be programmed to take the temperature information and balance the system or to insure that one area, which should be cooled to a greater degree, receives more refrigerant than other areas.
• the system's control is described below.
• a high void plastic vapor passage, or 3-D material 24 (shown schematically without reference to its actual con ⁇ struction) is above wicking material 20.
• One acceptable material is sold under the trademark Trilock.
• 3-D material 24 allows spent refrigerant gas to flow generally freely in three directions from wick 20 and allows the gas to be ejected from the cooling material without an objectionable increase in gas pressure.
• 3-D material 24 gives body to the cooling fabric and causes the fabric to maintain dimensional stability, but it is also flexible so that the cooling member 10 can be bent in any reasonable shape to conform with the user's physique.
• Edges 26 and 27 of membranes 12 and 14 are sealed so that cavity 16 is leak-proof.
• one or more tubes 32 may pass through the portion where edges 26 and 27 are sealed together. In that area, edges 26 and 27 are sealed to the tube. Tube 32 and any other tube may also pass through upper or lower membrane 12 or 14 depending on the desired configuration of the cooling fabric.
• Connecting means which in the exemplary embodiment are small rivets 34, extend through upper and lower membranes 12 and 14 and any intermediate parts (e.g. 3-D material 24) to hold the membranes together so that the cooling fabric does not bulge greatly.
• any intermediate parts e.g. 3-D material 24
• threads or other securing means may be used. If the system will be recycling spent refrigerant, any means for holding ' the membranes togeth ⁇ er will have to be sealed to prevent spent gas from leaking at the seal.
• the rivets or equivalents are spaced in a conve ⁇ nient pattern so that the material appears quilted.
• Upper layer 28 may cover upper membrane 12.
• Upper layer 28 may comprise one or more layers of material for abrasion resistance, heat insulation, protection from fire, reflection of radiant energy outward and protection from shock.
• Upper membrane 12 may also have a coating of a material having a high emissivity coefficient. That is, the coating is designed to retain cold within cooling fabric 10 but to let heat radiate outward.
• the coating could also be a separate layer.
• Injector 30 of the present invention is mounted within cavity 16 between membranes 12 and 14. As long as injector 30 directs refrigerant against wick 20 so that the refrigerant can cool the skin or other object, the placement of the injector is not critical. It may, for example, even outlet to a narrow diameter flexible hose having distribution hole(s) open toward wick 20. It is mounted within cavity 16 for pro ⁇ tection, but it may be mounted apart from the rest of the cooling fabric for certain applications. The injector can be mounted above upper membrane 12, but a greater area of the upper membrane may have to be sealed, and the injector will be more easily dislodged.
• injector 30 is mounted on an annular shelf 36 (FIG. 1) such that there is an open space 21 (FIGS. 1-3) between injector 30 and wick 20 in FIG 4, wick 20 is against modified injector 124. Without space 21 (FIG. 1) liquid is distributed more slowly. The diameter of space 21 can vary greatly.
• a small annular plate 38 (FIGS. 1 and 2) extends outward from top wall 40 of injector 30 and rests on part of 3-D material 24. Small holes 42 (FIG. 2) extend through annular plate 38 and allow the plate to be sewn to 3-D material 24. This secures injector 30 in its desired location and prevents the injector from drifting along the fabric during use.
• An inlet line 44 and/or previously mentioned outlet line. 32 also extend at least partially through cooling fabric 10 (FIGS. 1-3) .
• FIG. 4 embodiment is somewhat different and is discussed below.
• a narrow diameter inlet hose carrying liquid refrigerant under pressure extends between upper membrane 12 and protective layer 28, or as an alterna- tive, inlet hose 48 may run under membrane 12.
• the vaporization characteristics of Freon make it ideal for skin cooling.
• the liquid may be pressurized by a higher vapor pressure refrigerant (e.g. Freon. 2 ) acting through a piston or bladder on the Freon., ..
• the configuration of fitting 46 (FIGS.
• fitting 47 may be altered depend ⁇ ing on locations of parts. In view of the small size of the fitting 46 or 47 and inlet tube 44, these items are barely noticed and are mere bumps on the outside of the fabric. If the cooling fabric is mounted within a hard object such as helmet 2 (FIG. 5) , the inside surface of the helmet can have small, properly spaced indentations in the inside of the helmet to receive the small projection caused by the fittings. It is anticipated that inlet line 44 either travels against outlet hose 32, or, as shown in the exemplary embodi ⁇ ment, narrow diameter inlet tube 44 is carried within wider diameter outlet tube 32 (FIG. 1 and schematically in FIG. 5) .
• Electrical leads such as lead 48 which carries the signal from temperature sensor 22 and leads 50 and 51 from valve 30 (FIG. 2) , also are small enough to be carried within outlet hose 32.
• electrical leads 48, 50 or 51 or inlet tube 44 pass through the outside of outlet tube 32, there must be a seal to prevent fluid or gas leakage.
• the Injector Co-pending application Serial No. 673,509 discloses a miniature solenoid valve/injector. That valve would work in the present invention, and there is a disclosure in that application for one possible use of that valve in a cooling fabric.
• the shape of the valve is not ideal and it was designed to have a small cooling surface.
• the present • invention utilizes a new injector, which was designed to be relatively flat so that it could be accommodat ⁇ ed in the relatively flat cooling fabric of the present in- vention.
• the injector may take a number of forms. Two embod ⁇ iments are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4; the FIG. 3 unit is de ⁇ scribed first.
• Injector 30 has a flat, round, horizontal, electromagnetic coil 62 (FIGS. 1 and 3) .
• the coil is sur- rounded by an annular plastic housing which includes an inner wall 64, top and bottom walls 66 and 68 (FIGS. 2 and 3), and end wall 70 (FIG. 1) .
• Electric leads 50 and 51 extend to coil 62.
• the remaining parts of the injector are mounted at the center of coil 60.
• Inside wall 64 defines central cavity 72 (FIG. 3) , which is closed by wall 69. This wall is flush with bottom wall 68.
• the top of central cavity 72 is closed by cover 74 (FIGS. 2 and 3) , which is threaded into the upper portion of central wall 64.
• Top wall 76 of cover 74 is flush with top wall 66 of coil housing 62 (FIG. 3) .
• Outer flange 78 of top wall 76 is received in recess 80 of coil housing top wall 66, and is sealed by 0-ring 82.
• Cover 74 also has a central threaded boss 84 (FIGS. 2 and 3) .
• Fitting 46 is threaded into boss 84
• a small recess 88 surrounds boss 80 and receives the top portion of helical spring 90 (FIG. 3) .
• the other end of spring 90 pushes against spring support 92, which is received within the top part of central opening 94 of solenoid plunger 96.
• Iron or steel plunger 96 is the only part near electromagnetic coil 60 that has magnetic attraction.
• a hat-shaped sealing member 98 of rubber or soft material extends partially into the botto of central opening 94 of plunger 96 and is fixed to the plunger. The bottom of sealing member 98 rests on upstanding portion 100 and covers openings 102 extending through central portion 69 (FIG. 3). Openings 102, which carry liqui refrigerant to wick 20 and lower membrane 14, are angled so that the fluid will tend to be directed out from the center of injector 30 for more even cooling. The number of openings' 102 (preferably three or four) is a matter of choice to affect the desired distribution.
• Flexible gasket 106 is attached to plunger 96 to allo the plunger to move up and down and stay aligned within cen tral cavity 72.
• Gasket 106 has an outside circumferentia knob 108 retained within circumferential slot 110 by cove side wall 77.
• the bottom of spring support 92 holds inne knob 112 in circumferential slot 114 on the upper part o plunger 96.
• Gasket 106 has a series of circumferential, spaced openings 116 aligned with passage 118 between th outside of plunger 96 and the inside of coil central wall 64.
• Liquid refrigerant from hose 44 flows throug passage 120 of fitting 46 and fills cavity 72. Th refrigerant then flows through openings 116 and fills spac 118.
• the liquid at equilibrium is at the same pressure i supply tank 198 (FIG. 6) at the upstream end of hose 44 and i injector 30, and hose 44.
• the pressure chosen depends on th vapor pressure of the refrigerant and the maximum ambien temperature to which the tank will be exposed so that th refrigerant remains in its liquid state within tank 198, hos 44 and cavity 72.
• Plunger 96 moves upward a small distance tending to center itself in electromagnetic coil 60 when the coil is activated.
• the upward movement of plunger 96 moves seal 98 upward to uncover openings 102 and allows the refrigerant to be injected through the openings and against wick 20 where it spreads ' to be ih contact with lower membrane 14.
• One preferred refrigerant is a fluorocarbon refrigerant sold under the trademark Freon,.... Its boiling point at ambient pressure is approximately 4°C. That temperature would be the minimum temperature that the system and the object being cooled could attain. Using this refrigerant adds a safety factor. The system cannot go below the freezing point of water; it will not cause frostbite or damage the skin. Normal blood flow below the surface of the skin also tends to raise the skin temperature.
• the system is designed to lower temperatures to a much smaller degree, well above 4°C.
• the object at least insofar temperature just enough to induce sufficient comfort and remove excess amounts of internal or external heat. There ⁇ fore, maintaining the cooling fabric in the range of approxi ⁇ mately 21°C (72°F) is more than sufficient cooling. For many tasks, a higher temperature is adequate.
• FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment for the injector of the present invention. It too includes a coil 126 mounted within annularly shaped coil housing 128.
• the housing has a central wall 130, top and bottom walls 132 and 134 and an outside wall (not shown) , which have proper magnetic coupling.
• Cap 136 is threaded into the top portion of central coil wall 130.
• Spring support 138 is threaded to the inside of cap 136 and extends generally across the top part of cavity 140, which is inside of inner coil wall 130.
• Spring support 138 does not seal the top of cavity 140; it has a central opening 142 through which the upper portion of fitting 144 extends.
• Fitting 144 is threaded into opening 170, which extends through magnetic plunger 150.
• Flange 145 of fitting 144 secures washer 148 to plunger 150.
• Spring 146 extends between spring support 138 and washer 148 and is held by downward flange 139.
• Washer 148 also secures the center portion of bellows/diaphragm 152 to the top of plunger 150, and knob 154 of diaphragm 152 is held within notch 156 on the top of plunger 150 to secure the diaphragm.
• Diaphragm 152 also has an outer ring member 158, which is secured between the bottom of side walls 137 and the upper part of the side wall 160 of cup-shaped member 162. In the position shown in FIG. 4, much of the intermediate portion of diaphragm 152 rests in space 164.
• Sealing member 168 of a soft material is in a recess of upstanding portion 166 of bottom wall 163. Bore 172 extending through fitting 144 carries pressurized liquid refrigerant from hose 44 (FIGS. 1 through 3 and 6) .
• Spring 146 (FIG. 4) urges plunger 150 and fitting 144 downward against seal 168, which closes passage 142. In this closed position, which is shown in FIG. 4, no liquid refrigerant flows.
• coil 126 When coil 126 is activated, the magnetic force tends to cause plunger 150 to move upwards and to become centered between the top and bottom - - of the coil. This movement creates a space between the bottom of fitting 172 and seal 168.
• Liquid refrigerant then flows through passage 144 to delivery chamber 172.
• the pressurized liquid then passes at a high velocity through multiple open- ings 174, which are spaced around and extend through the bottom wall 163 of cup-shaped member 162.
• the refrigerant reaches wick 20 and spreads along lower membrane 14 where it is vaporized.
• a single opening would replace multiple openings 174. This opening would dispense fluid to a small plastic hose (not shown) having many holes pointing toward wick 20.
• Both injectors are thin so that they both take up little room in the cooling fabric. Each also permits fluid injection to take place right at wick 20 and lower membrane 14 so that the liquid is at its desired locations where it vaporizes for cooling. Also, because the refrigerant is at a high pressure, it flows at a high velocity through openings 102 (FIG. 3) or 174 (FIG. 4) which causes it to burst out of openings and spread along wick 120 and lower membrane 114.
• openings 102 FIG. 3
• 174 FIG. 4
• the cooling fabric may be incorporated into a bandage. As the bandages must be changed regularly, it is desirable to have the cooling fabric be disposable. By having the injector out of the fabric, the injector can be saved. A quick- disconnect valve fitting may connect the tubing between the injector and the fabric to either. Control of the injector is discussed in greater detail below.
• Recycling System Spent gas can be vented to the atmosphere.
• the present in ⁇ vention is designed to recycle the refrigerant.
• FIG. 6 there are three major parts of the recycling system for use with the cooling fabric.
• Unit A 178 consists mainly of the apparatus used to convert spent refrigerant gas back to liquid and to store the liquid under pressure.
• Unit B 179 is cooling fabric 10 and its injector valve 30.
• Unit C 180 is the interface between units A and B, the inlet and outlet hoses 44, 32 connecting units A and B together.
• Spent refrigerant gas travels out through outlet hose 32 (FIGS. 1 and 6) . Note that through a large part of the length of hose 32, inlet hose 44 travels inside or immediately adja ⁇ cent the outlet hose. Gas from hose 32 flows into spent gas collector 182 within the A unit 178.
• Spent gas collector 182 is designed for receiving and interim storage of the relatively low-pressure spent refrigerant gas from hose 32.
• a flexible bladder 184 (FIG. 6) is mounted within collector 182 and devices collector 182 into the regions, upper region 186 and lower region 187.
• the upper region 186 above bladder 184 is under a relatively low pres ⁇ alternative small pump 204 is discussed below.
• pressure switch 190 is activated to start compressor 188.
• compressor 188 stays on until it causes pressure in upper region 186 of collector 182 to reach a set minimum, at which time switch 190 deactivates the compressor.
• Bladder 184 expands to minimize the volume of upper region 186. It is important not to raise the pressure in collector 182 much above ambient because the pressure would also be increased in hose 32 and in the cooling fabric, and that would cause boiling in the cooling to cease or decrease. The fabric would also bulge and be uncomfortable. Any negative pressure in collector 182 makes system cooling more effective.
• Compressor 188 receives gas from spent gas collector 182 through tube 187. Although the compressor could run constant ⁇ ly and eliminate the need for spent gas collector 182, the compressor is actually compressing a small volume of gas at a relatively low pressure inlet to a high outlet pressure of about 60 psi or such other necessary pressure to cause the fluid to liquify.
• Pressure switch 190 reads the pressure in collector 182. When pressure switch 190 reads a predetermined pressure, it signals power supply 192 to activate the compressor. The compressor then takes gas in collector 182, pressurizes it and directs it out at a higher pressure through line 194. When the pressure in collector 182 drops below a predetermined minimum, pressure switch 190 signals power supply 192 to stop compressor 188.
• Check valve 189 is mounted at the outlet of compressor 188 before line 194 to prevent- back flow of the pressurized fluid through compressor 188 to hose 32.
• Lower region 187 of collector 182 can be vented to atmo ⁇ sphere at vent 203 (FIG. 6) .
• vent 203 vent 203
• bladder 184 collapses from pressure of spent refrigerant gas in upper region 186, air is vented out vent 203.
• the vent may inlet to a low volume pump or compressor 204.
• Pump 204 is designed to pump air at only a slightly elevated pressure so that bladder 184 exerts a slight negative pressure on upper region 186. This negative pressure is present in the spent gas region upstream from collector 182, to minimize back pressure in cavity 16, 3-D material 24 and outlet tube 32 (FIG. 1) and prevents cooling fabric 10 from bulging.
• Pump 204 can also evacuate refrigerant directly from line 32 and cooling fabric 10 and direct it to upper region 186 as a gas at only slightly elevated pressure.
• FIG. 6 shows one possible arrangement. As gas from pump 204 fills upper region 186 (assuming the pump directs gas from line 32 to upper region 186) , bladder 184 moves downward. Magnetic contact 208 contacts reed switch 209, which signals power supply 192 to latch on main compress 188. The compres ⁇ sor runs continuously and evacuates upper region 186, which causes bladder 184 to move upward.
• contact 208 makes contact with switch 207, which signals the power supply to latch off the compres ⁇ sor.
• spent gas collector 182 collects gas and acts as a pressure switch to latch compressor 188 on and off.
• Bladder 184 is shown to be entirely flexible in FIG. 6. It may be replaced by a piston, bellows or similar member. These latter arrangements provide for better alignment of contact 208 as it moves between switches 207 and 209.
• a second pump 204 which operates over a narrow pressure difference uses much less energy than compressor 188, which must pressurize refrigerant greatly.
• Power supply 192 powers pump 104. The pump may run continuously because it uses - T8 - little energy, or a pressure switch or switches 207 and 209 may also control the pump.
• Collector 182 is shown relatively small in the FIG. 6 schematic, but it must have sufficient volume to accommodate enough gas for its intended purpose. Any device which can expand to add volume without adding significantly to the pressure of the spent refrigerant may be used.
• the parts of the collector can be divided and located apart.
• the upper region 186 could be in fabric 10.
• compressor 188 starts.
• the pressurization of the spent gas in compressor 188 raises the temperature of the fluid as it exits the compressor in line 194.
• a heat exchanger 196 is provided to cool the fluid. Upstream of heat exchanger 196 the fluid may be liquid or gas depending on its temperature.
• the heat exchanger is designed to remove the heat, and as it is mounted away from the " skin or object to be cooled, the heat can be radiated or convected away without warming the person or object.
• Storage tank 198 receives liquid from heat exchanger 196 through line 200. Depending on the rate at which the system uses refrigerant and the size of tank 198, heat exchanger 196 may be optional; the tank may be made to radiate sufficient heat to cool the incoming pressurized fluid suffi- ciently.
• Power supply 192 would then be a battery or other portable power supply.
• the power supply may also be through a power line attached to a more permanent power supply such as an A/C line into a factory power supply or electrical leads from a vehicle, aircraft, vessel or other mobile unit having electrical power.
• the compressor could also be clutch connected to a mechanical power takeoff from a motor or engine.
• Cooling continues to take place as injector 30 carries liquid refrigerant from tank 198 through inlet hose 44 into the cooling fabric 10.
• the system of the present invention has a volume absorber, collector 182.
• Check valve 189 maintains the pressure at the outlet to compressor 188 at a much higher pressure than the inlet pressure from line 187.
• Cooling fabric 10 is placed in a desired pattern on the inside of helmet 2 (FIG. 5) . It would cooperate with padding 206 neces ⁇ sary for head - protection.
• Inlet line 44 traveling within outlet line 32 is shown extending down out of the back*of the helmet. If the cooling fabric has more than one injector, there is either multiple inlet and outlet hoses, or the main hoses branch. As an alternative, only the inlet lines have to branch as long as there is sufficient volume in the outlet line(s) to carry away the spent gas without causing the pres ⁇ sure within the cooling fabric to rise significantly.
• Electrical leads 50 and 51 leading to injectors 30 and the electrical lead 48 leading from temperature sensor 22 also travels either inside outlet tube 32 or immediately adjacent the outside of the tube. This is shown schematically in FIG. 6 where lines 48, 50 and 51 pass through the C unit 180. Power supply 192 also activates injector 30 through lines 50 and 51 in response to temperature signals from temperature sensor 22, electrical lead 48 and microprocessor 202, which controls power supply 192. Modifying the fabric for larger garments is a matter of sewing and depends on the size of standard pieces of fabric that are being manufactured. Larger sizes can be formed into a vest or a whole body suit. The size of the components in the A unit 178 must be modified to handle the larger volume of refrigerant, but the operating .** '

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• 1985
  • 1985-03-07 US US06/709,093 patent/US4869250A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1986
  • 1986-03-07 AU AU56243/86A patent/AU5624386A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1986-03-07 JP JP61502160A patent/JPS63500565A/ja active Pending
  • 1986-03-07 EP EP19860902151 patent/EP0216857A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1986-03-07 WO PCT/US1986/000497 patent/WO1986005088A1/en not_active Ceased

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